A new species of monkey

@zekedarwinscience

946.2K followers · usually 20.2K views a post

Views

65.0K

Likes

5.1K

Comments

112

362

Why it worked

The video effectively uses a combination of engaging visuals, clear explanations of scientific concepts (genetics, evolution), and a compelling narrative about the discovery of a new species to capture viewer interest. The "hook" of a newly discovered animal and the explanation of its unique features, like the four-fingered hand, likely contributed to its shareability and engagement.

Summary

This video announces the discovery of a new species of monkey, the Colobus congoensis, also known as the Likweli, found in Africa's Congo River Basin. It explains how genetic evidence and sightings over several years led to its classification as a distinct species, highlighting its isolated habitat and unique physical characteristics, such as its four-fingered hand.

Structure

1Introduction of a new monkey species in the Congo River Basin.
2Comparison of its features and genetic relation to other monkeys.
3Explanation of its discovery timeline and initial sightings.
4Discussion of its isolated habitat and unique evolutionary adaptations.
5Highlighting the meaning of its name and its physical characteristics.

On-screen text

A NEW SPECIES BEEN DISCOVERED LIVING IN AFRICA'S CONGO RIVER BASIN THIS IS THE COLOBUS CONGOENSIS OR THE LIKWELI THIS IS SATANAS THEIR CLOSEST COUSIN AND YOU CAN IN THOSE FACES SO CONGOENSIS OVER ONE SATANAS RIGHT HERE WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ONE BIT SMALLER THE FACE LOOKS HOW ARE THESE TWO DIFFERENT SPECIES THAT'S WHERE DNA COMES IN AT THE COLOBUS THE AFRICAN LINEAGE AND THE ASIAN LINEAGE HAVE DIVERGED AROUND 14 MILLION YEARS AGO UP HERE AT THE TOP YOU SATANAS CONGOENSIS SISTER GROUP SHARED A COMMON ANCESTOR AROUND FIVE MILLION YEARS AGO SO THE GENETIC EVIDENCE STRONGLY SUPPORTS TO CONSIDER THIS ITS OWN SPECIES SCENARIOS WHERE THIS WELL KNOWN MONKEY AND DNA IS NOW SHOWING US THAT IT'S TWO DIFFERENT POPULATIONS THIS IS A FIRST SPOTTED BACK IN 2008 A PICTURE WAS BROUGHT TO THE EXPERTS THEY THOUGHT THIS A MONKEY THAT SHOULD BE HERE WHAT IS THIS ANOTHER PICTURE WAS TAKEN IN 2018 AND OVER THE NEXT 10 MONTHS THEY SPOTTED A MONKEY THAT LOOKED SIMILAR SEVEN DIFFERENT TIMES IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN POPULATION AN UNKNOWN SPECIES OF MONKEY THEY TRIED TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES THAT LIVE IN THE REGION THAT THIS MONKEY LIVES AND WHAT THEY THIS MONKEY IS NOT WELL KNOWN EVEN TO MOST OF THE GROUPS THIS POPULATION LIVES RIGHT IN THIS TINY REGION REGION THAT IS PRETTY ISOLATED BY SEE HOW FAR FROM THEIR CLOSEST COUSINS THE SATANAS MONKEYS AS YOU CAN THE REGION THAT COLOBUS CONGOENSIS LIVES IN TURNED INTO A NATIONAL PARK WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE IT IS VERY SMALL HABITAT AT THE OTHER COLOBUS MONKEYS THEY HAVE HUGE COMPARED TO WHAT THIS CONGOENSIS POPULATION HAS BEEN LEFT INTERESTING SIDE NOTE COLOBUS COMES FROM FOR MUTILATE LOOK AT THE X RAY OF THE COLOBUS MONKEY YOU WILL SEE THEIR NAME THEY ONLY HAVE FOUR FINGERS THEIR THUMB WE THINK THAT'S AN EVOLUTIONARY ADAPTATION FOR HIGH SPEED SWINGING THROUGH THE CANOPY IF YOU FOUND THIS INTERESTING TO CONTINUE FOLLOWING ALONG WITH NEW SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES AS MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW THIS IS MATERIAL I LIKE BREAKING DOWN ON SCIENTIFIC STUDIES THAT WITH NEW SPECIES EVOLUTION ANCIENT HUMANS ANYTHING RELATED TO THAT

Original caption

A new species of African primate | The Colobus Monkey aka the Likweli #animals #evolution #monkey #LearnOnTikTok #edutokcontest

More from @zekedarwinscience

Their other posts in the index, biggest breakout first.

Transcript

A new species of monkey has been discovered living in Africa's Congo River Basin. This is the Colobus congoensis or the Likweli. This is Satanas, their closest cousin. And you can see the difference in those faces. So Congoensis over here, the smaller one. Satanas right here. And I know what you're thinking, one's a bit smaller, the face looks... how are these two different species? That's where DNA comes in. When we look at the Colobus monkeys, the African lineage and the Asian lineage, they have diverged around 14 million years ago. Up here at the top, you can see Satanas, Congoensis sister group. Shared a common ancestor around five million years ago. So the genetic evidence strongly supports to consider this its own species. And this isn't one of those scenarios where this was already a well-known monkey and DNA is now showing us that it's two different populations. This is a monkey that was first spotted back in 2008. A picture was brought to the experts. They thought this... a monkey that should be here. What is this? Another picture was taken in 2018. And over the next 10 months, they spotted a monkey that looked similar seven different times in different locations. There was an unknown population, an unknown species of monkey. They tried to talk to local communities that live in the region that this monkey lives in. And what they found is that this monkey is not well known, even to most of the groups in that region. This population lives right in this tiny region. Region that is pretty isolated by. See how far from their closest cousins, the Satanas monkeys, as you can see. The region that Colobus congoensis lives in has turned into a national park, which is great because it is a very small habitat. At the other Colobus monkeys, they have huge ranges compared to what this Congoensis population has been left with. Interesting side note, Colobus comes from the Greek word for mutilate. Look at the X-ray of the Colobus monkey, you will see their name. They only have four fingers. Their thumb. We think that's an evolutionary adaptation for high-speed swinging through the canopy. If you found this interesting and want to continue following along with new scientific discoveries as they are made, make sure to follow. This is material I like breaking down on scientific studies that have to do with new species, evolution, ancient humans, anything related to that.